1. SIMI’s Rise as Source of Recruits for Terror Outfits Keeps Agencies on Edge
Since its shift towards radical beliefs became more pronounced in the 1990s, the Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), banned in 2001, has become a major concern for security agencies for supplying recruits to Indian Mujahideen and Pakistan-based terrorist organisations.
Over the years, SIMI leaders radicalised Muslim youths and formed networks to train, plot and execute terrorist attacks, often in close collaboration with Pakistan's covert agencies that have directed violence against India.
The Indian government banned SIMI as a “terrorist organisation” after 9/11 but the real problem surfaced in 2006, when Nagori, who has been in jail since 2008, shed all pretence of student mobilisation and took to terrorist activities.
(Source: The Times of India)
2. HC Directs J&K Govt to Protect Schools as More Buildings Burn in Unrest
Schools are going up in flames in strife-torn Kashmir one after the other, prompting the state high court to direct the authorities to take all necessary steps to protect them.
Twenty-five schools have been completely or partially burnt down in the last three months, the latest being in Anantnag on Sunday.
“The mysterious burning of centres of education has sent shock waves, awakening all to ponder,” said the high court division bench comprising Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice Ali Mohammad Magray.
“Can a nation, community or state afford to shun the path of education or bear the loss of mysterious burning and destroying the school buildings? Continuously every day there is news item that the school building has been mysteriously burnt. Is it acceptable? Answer is no,” the judges said.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
3. PM Seeks Debate on Quota in Judiciary, Creating All India Judicial Service
Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought on Monday a debate on creating an All India Judicial Service (AIJS) and inclusion of people from the lower strata of society into the judicial system.
“Debates, discussions and dialogues are part of democracy … We (government) cannot contribute much. Our contribution will not help much. It is those sitting here who can contribute,” he said an audience judges and lawyers at the Delhi HC’s golden jubilee function.
Introduction of a quota system in a section of the lower judiciary is part of his government’s move to constitute AIJS to appoint district judges, a prerogative of high courts.
There is no reservation for any social groups in high courts and the Supreme Court, though the collegiums try to give representation to various regions and communities in the appointment of judges.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
4. Pollution Peaks as Delhi Decides to Burn Its ‘No-Crackers-On-Diwali’ Resolutions
The morning after Diwali in Delhi was all smog. Residents were left with no option but to breath the poisonous air, with pollution levels in many areas reaching levels 40 times over the safe limit.
Delhi easily beat Beijing’s worst air pollution events on the night of Diwali and it seemed that the slew of awareness measures taken by the government and pledges taken by the public failed to do any good.
Many areas in the city witnessed zero visibility including the railway stations, highways and airports. Normal life stalled in the morning as it became dangerous to navigate the roads due to the alarming drop in visibility.
Delhi doesn’t boast the cleanest air. The Delhi High Court even went to the extreme of calling the national capital a gas chamber last week.
Seven out of the ten most polluted places in the country were reported in the Capital after Diwali, which is an alarming metric.
(Source: Indian Express)
5. Judges’ Phones are Being Tapped, Claims Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed at the 50th anniversary function of the Delhi High Court, to have “overheard” judges expressing concern about their phones being “tapped”.
Mr Kejriwal dropped the bombshell during his address at Vigyan Bhawan, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India TS Thakur, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Delhi High Court Chief Justice G Rohini were present.
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad refuted Mr Kejriwal's allegation that judges' phones were under government surveillance.
Mr Kejriwal had said that it would be an assault on democracy and independence of the judiciary if judges’ phones are tapped.
“Let me as Law Minister make it clear that our fight for the independence of judiciary is fundamental and irrefutable,” Mr Prasad emphasised in his address.
(Source: The Hindu)
6. Missing JNU Student’s Kin Meet Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
It has been 17 days since Najeeb Ahmed, a first year biotechnology student, went missing from JNU after an alleged run-in with members of ABVP.
Ahmed’s family met chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, with the continuous protests of the JNU Students Union evoking little reaction from the institution's administration.
On Diwali night, a ‘Ray of Hope’ vigil was organised as part of the student agitation.
While JNUSU sent a delegation to meet the university proctor on Monday and demanded that the report of the internal inquiry be made public, Ahmed’s mother and other relatives told Kejriwal about their anxieties at his residence.
The family discussed with the CM the slow progress in both locating the student as well as the steps taken by the authorities following Ahmed's disappearance.
(Source: The Times of India)
7. BSF Fires 5,000 Mortar Shells, 35,000 Bullets in 11 Days
The Border Security Force (BSF) has responded with massive fire in retaliation to Pakistan Rangers’ relentless attempts to push heavily armed terrorists into Indian territory since 19 October through continuous ceasefire violations.
The massive retaliation has claimed the lives of at least 15 Pakistani soldiers besides some civilians on the other side.
The BSF, responding to Pakistan’s firing and mortar shelling for past 11 days, has fired 3,000 long range mortar shells (81mm area weapons), which can hit targets within the range of 5 to 6 km, 2,000 short range mortar shells (51mm mortar shells), which can hit targets at 900 meters and over 35,000 bullets using small arms, including MMG, LMG, and rifles etc.
(Source: The Times of India)
8. Jayalalithaa Doing Well, Will Resume Her ‘Duty to the People’ Soon: AIADMK
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, undergoing treatment at a hospital since last month, was said to be recovering fast and will soon resume her “duty to the people”, AIADMK spokesperson CR Saraswathi said on Monday.
“Amma is doing well and will come back to resume her ‘makkal pani’ (duty to the people) very soon,” she told reporters outside Apollo Hospital, where Jayalalithaa has been treated since 22 September.
State ministers and the AIADMK cadre continued to organise special rituals at various temples across the state for the speedy recovery of their party supremo.
Jayalalithaa, initially admitted for fever and dehydration, was being treated for an infection with respiratory support among others.
In the last medical bulletin issued on 21 October, the hospital had said she was “interacting and progressing gradually”.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
9. Pre-Placement Offers at All-Time High This Year in IITs
Pre-placement offers to students at the Indian Institutes of Technology have scaled a record high this year, indicating a bumper recruitment season ahead amid growing inclination among leading employers to hire through the tried-and-tested internship route.
The number of offers at some IITs has already shot up about a third than that of a year ago, officials said, even as companies have more than two weeks left to snap up talent through PPOs from the premier engineering institutes.
“We were a little apprehensive earlier about the job market, but seeing the trend in PPOs this year we certainly see positivity in the overall job market," said NP Padhy, professor in-charge of placement at IIT Roorkee. “Companies offer PPOs to deserving candidates to ensure that they do not miss out on talent during final placements,” he said.
(Source: Economic Times)
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